Improvement in the construction of retorts for chemical furnaces



2 Sheets-Sheet l.

J. AKRILL.

Patented June 8, 1852 Mizax-wx mi Norms PETERS no, PHOTO-urna.wAsHnNuToN. n c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. AKRILL. CONSTRUCTION CF RBTCRTS FCR CHEMICAL FURNACBS.

No. 8,993. Patented June 8, 1852.

M Lw ma Norms Parras co. vuoroumq, WASHINGTON UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JOHN AKRILL, or WILLIAMSBURG, NEW YORK.

IIviPIOVI-IIIIIENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RETORTS FOR CHEMICAL FURNACES.

2"@ a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN AKRILL, of W'illiamsburg, Kings county, Stateof New York, (manufacturer,) have invented, made, -and applied to usecertain new and useful Im-l provements inthe Construction of Retorts,which I have arranged and applied with furnaces and chambers, expresslyas the means to effect all the following operations: rst, the conversionof metallic zinc into white oxide of zinc for use as a paint or pigment;second, the obtaining hydrogen gas for illumination from metallic zincand sulphurie acid, and converting the sulphate of zinc formed-by theprocess into white oxide; third, the calcination of sulphureted ores,and the conversion of the evolved sulphurous vgases to profitable uses;fourth, the conversion of ores`of copper into the metallic form; fifth,the formation of oxides of lead; sixth, the sublimation of sulphur andcondensing t-he gas evolved for any use; seventh, the production of gas'for illumination from any usual materials, and the con version of theammoniaeal residuum into the liquid ammonia of commerce; eighth, thedeoxidizing oxidous ores of metal previous to conversion into themetallic form; ninth, the destructive distillation of animal, earthy,and vegetable matters for conversion into charcoal, and the conversionof the expelled ammoniacal vapors into the liquid ammonia of commerce;tenth, the mixing of copper with zinc or other alloys to form commonbrass, with a means to save'the vapor of the zinc and con dense it intooxide; eleventh, the annealing of metals. glass, &c. It is to bedistinctly understood that no one of these processes is new in itself,and is expressly disclaimed as such herein, the intent of theseimprovements beingA simply to effect these several processes by new andeconomical means. These objects are attained by a peculiar arrangementof potzfurnaces or refinery-furnaces and reverberatory or puddlingfurnaces, or any effective furnace acting to heat retorts, evaporators,boilers, and kilns or ovens, with chambers for receiving metallic zincor ore of zinc or other material to be operated on by sul phurous gas,water, and steam, such chambers having attached a peculiar form ofmechanical exhaustion to effect a draft in and through all the severalpreceding parts, which are used primarily, successively, continuously,and combined in a manner for which I seek Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, and that the construction, arrangement, and operation of themeans by whichthese several consecutive and combined operations areeffected are fully and substantially set forth and shown in thefollowing description, and in the drawings annexed to and making part'of this my specification of my said improvements, wherein- Figure l isa general plan of -all the parts in place, with the position of some ofthe parts beneath denoted by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a sectionalelevation through the line A'eA of Fig. l, the vertical flues tocarry'off the vapor from the retorts being denoted by dotted lines. Fig.is a general exterior elevation on the side B o'f Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is across-section through the line c c of Figs. l, 2, and 3 `of anest offour retorts, showing the horizontal lues that conduct the fire heatbelow and above each retort. Fig. 5 is a plan showing the constructionof the dividing-piers bet Ween each two retorts, with Vertical uesconnected one to each retort. Fig. Gis a plan at the in ner end ofretorts, fitted' to carry down the oxide of zinc in vapor or the vaporof sulphur in sublimation. This mode of fitting the retorts may beinverted,and have connections to upper horizontal lines to carry off thesulphurous gases evolved in calcining metals orother gases in theopposite direction if needful. Fig; 7 is a sectional elevation of anextended arch to condense the vapors of sublimation or the oxides ofmetals in vapor. The other detached figures are separately referred to,and the like letters and numbers as marks of reference apply tothe sameparts in each of the figures, as follows:

D D are pot-furnaces, built in the usual manner, but set at an elevationto lead the heat by flues a, formedby divisions 1 l, each with a.damper, 2, into the fire-chamber of the reverberatory furnace F, whichmay be used for melting, puddling, or refining metal, the fire act-ingon the material on the bed b conjointly with the surplus heat from thepot-furnaces. The heat from the furnace E is carried on by exit-fines c,formed by small piers 3 (shown by dotted lines in Fig. l) that supportthe end arch of the furnace.v These iiues continue over an arch, F, intoa chamber, d.

G G are piers and arches iilled into form a level platform of masonry, ee,\above the arches, built with a central ue or barrel arch, 4, shown inFig. 4, and by dotted lines in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, as passing on thebases of the piers.

j' is a pipe across through the masonry near the exit of the furnace E,opening into lengthwise pipes g g, formed or laid in the masonry overthe arches G, and connecting4 at their sides into cross-pipes 7i,extending outside the masonry. The pipe f is to be connected at eitherend to any blower competent to drive a blast through all the pipes, fora purpose shown hereinafter.

H H is a double range of retorts on the platform e, each shown as madeof clayvin three sections, but may be any number'of sections or parts,or may be made ot' iron, as hereinafter stated.

'i t' are thefwalls at each outer end of the re torts and furnaces, and5 (see Figs. 2 and 4) are the sides of -the lower half of each retort,that inclose the hearth 6.

7 is the crown and legs forming the upper half of each retort andcovering the hearth.

8 is a groove formed one half in the upper sides, 5, of thehearth-pieces, and one half onv the under side of the-legs-7, tointroduce any proper luting that will effectively close the jointsbetween lthe two parts.

v ln theue-chamber d a stop, 9, directs the fire heat into the flues 10,under rthe hearths of the lower range of retorts H H, where the heat,acting and passing through the whole range, enters the lower part of thevertical flue l at the farther end of therange, in which a stop, 11,turns the current of heatback into and .through the second tier offlues, 12, above the crowns of the lower retorts and under the hearthsof the upper range of retorts, into the part of the chamberd above thestop 9, which passes the current into the flues 13 through the crowns ofthe upper range of retorts and into the part of the iiue I above thestop 11.

K K are piers of the same material as the retorts, each having verticalfines 14, so fitted that each flue communicates withone retort by anopening, 16. Each pieris made with Aprojecting faces on each side toenter the retorts by rabbets 15, fitted to receive the inner ends of theretort and form a close `joint all round by any proper luting. Thevertical flues 14 are closed on their upper ends by stoppers or othermeans that can Lbe removed to clean out the lines, andthe-lowerendsofthese vertical flues descend to openings through and into'thebarrel-arch 4, to lead the gaseous products of the retorts away for use,as hereinafter shown.

rllhe heat acquired by the masonry when in use heats the air in itspassage from the principal pipe f. The retorts are covered over withbrick-work or any similar substance and aretied together by plates andtie-bars in any convenient manner.

At 7c k are vertical pipes from the air-pipes L., with branches Z, oneopening into each retort, the access and quantity of air allowed to passinto the retort being regulated by cocks 17. At 18 the iluc 13 opensinto a horizon` tal flue passing under the evaporatingpans L and abovethe arch M, which is used for a purpose hereinafter shown. After thecurrent of lire heat has passed under the evaporating-pans it passesinto the chamber N over the arch O, which chamber N contains a boil er,Q, that is heated by the current of heat beneath it when the heat is soused. The current in this case passes off by the due m into the chimneyl?, and a furnacemay be made in the boiler, if found needful; vbut ifthe steam from the boiler is not in use for the precedent and subsequentoperations, the dampers 19 are set to close the flues m to the chimney.In this.

case the draft and current of heat pass by the auxiliary iiue'u over theboiler and into the chimney P, the dampers 20 being open to pass thedraft when the dampers 19 areshut, or the reverse if the heat is tooperate on the boiler.

At o o Aare steampipes from each end of the boiler, passing along ateach end of the two tiers of retorts, having branches p p and cocks 21for passing a regulated supply of steam into the upperV retorts H Il andlower branches, q q, and'cocksl 22, (see Fig. 3,) to supply steam to thelower tier of retorts. At r r are doors, of any usual form, to open andclose the retorts H. Vhen the retorts are' used to calci ne thesulphureted ores of metals. the arch or barrel 4 is ,to be continued, asshown in Figsl, 2, and .3, to the vertical flue 23, Figs. l and 2, whichreceives a regulated amount of steam through the pipes 27 and cocks 28,and, this iiue communicates by side openings, 24, to the chambers 25 ofthe nest of chambers S, (shown in plan in Fig. 1 and in longitudinalsectional elevation in Fig. 2,) and arranged to pass the sulphurous orother gas with steam from the pipes 27, if required, over any materialon the floors of the chambers 25, and convert the materialsinto theirrespective compounds, the gas passing through all the chambers intoavertical cross-fine, 26. The floors of the chambers 25 are perforated topass any condensation or liquid matter into the chamber 29, whence itmay be removed by a pipe, 30, or .by the door 31. The verticalcross-fine 26 is connected by apipe, 32, to the exhausting pump orblower R, made as shown in Fig-2, the pipe 32. passing into vthe semi-v4.'circnlarfende'd case having twocovers fitted to receive two arbors,33, on one end'of each of which is a tooth-wheel. These gear together,and on ,the end of one arbor 33 is a drum, s, to communicate anycompetent power and rotate the arbors 33 and tooth-wheels. These arborscarry within the case R a pair of rotary valves, T, formed in a shapeapproximating that of the numcral'8,.but so proportioned and set that asthey rotate with the arbors 33 the convex parts t of eachl pass into theconcave parts u of the other', the operation being that 4the portion ofsulphurous or other gas in surplus from the precedent operationsandlcoming from the last flue by the pipe 32, is partially drawn in onthe entering side by the rotation of the valves T T, and carried roundto the exit-nozzle c, by which the gas escapes or is forced `into ashallow chamber, U, beneath a grating or perforated floor, 34, which maysustain any articles that can be advantageously treated with or operatedon by the sulphurous gas, which afterward finally passes off by thechimney V.

In the construction and arrangement of the parts, as before described,it will be seen that what is ordinarily the waste heat from the firstfurnaces, D D, goes by the lues a a t0 augment the heat in thereverberatory furnace E, and that the conjoined heat, which is now oftenallowed to escape up a chimney, is led through the ues c and 10, underthe hearths of the lower range of retorts H, through the flues 12,between the crowns of the lower tier and the hearths of the second tier,then by the flues 13 over the crowns of the upper tier, by this meansheating the whole of the retorts to a high temperature without thecurrent of fire heat coming in contact with the contents of the retorts,these contents being thus subjected to the action of confined andquiescent heat, without being affected by the operation of a current ofheat containing oxygen or other gases to interfere with the operationsof the heat on the articles under treatment. The

current of unexpended heat, passing from the extremity of the iiue 13 bythe upper part of the flue I, goes through the fines 18 under theevaporating-pans L, and heating these evaporates the aqueous contents toany requireddegree, thence passing by the fines into the chamber N toheat the water in the boiler Q for use, as herein shown. By thisarrangement the greater part of what has hitherto been waste heat fromthe furnaces D and E is applied to useful purposes.

The construction and arrangement of the parts having been thus speciedthe uses of them are now to be described. The rst space between thefirst furnaces, D, and 'the reverberatory furnace E and the arch Fbetween that and the retorts are merely to connect the parts and carrythe lues so as to allow access for repairing or rebuilding eitherfurnace Without disturbing the nest of retorts H, and are mere mattersof practical convenience. The barrel-arch 4 beneath, running through andat right angles with the foundation of the piers, is to be used forreceiving gases from the retorts, and conveying them to the chamber S asit receives them by the continuations downward of the vertical iiues 14in the dividingpiers K, and this arch 4 may also be used in like mannerfor a variety of other purposes hereinafter set forth.

The large arch M under the evaporatingpans L, and the arch O under theboiler N may be used as kilns or ovens, and in these the retortsthemselves may be dried and baked for use, or any other articles may bedried and baked by the surplus heat from the retorts, or

by auxiliary fires beneath or in the arches, or the heat from theretorts may be made to operate in conjunction'with the auxiliary fires,and when the evaporating-pans are not wanted to be used the heat may becarried down on one side and beneath the floors of the arches, and up onthe opposite side, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the current ofheat being regulated by dampers in any usual way.

The materials of these retorts and the means for and manner of makingthem preparatory to drying and using them will probably form the subjectof a separate patent hereafter, as being a separate invention. Thereforethese details are not given herein.

The original intention in these improvements was to produce or form thewhite oxide of zinc for use as a paint or pigment, by either burning themetallic zinc, and condensing the vapor, or by treating the sulphate ofzinc produced by the action of sulphuric acid and water on metalliczinc, so as to convert this into a white oxide, and also have thehydrogen gas for use. The first process will now be described. Any orall of the retorts may be used for this purpose, and are to be fittedwith openings in the place of the flue-piers K, as shown in Figs. 6 and7 ,with lips 53 across the inner end of each hearth, and the arches Gbelow made to extend to the center, and with-v out the barrel-arch orhorizontal flue 4 running through them. These arches G thus madecontinuous may be lengthened at either end, as shown in Fig. 7, andcoated inside with any cement that will form a smooth surface on thecrowns, sides, and iioors. The outer end or ends of these arches are tobe connected by an opening, 35, into one sideof a cold chimney, W, ofany proper size to form a chamber, 36, and above this the chimney is tobe fitted to carry one or more wire or cloth screens, 37, so fitted asto shake horizontally by a handle, and above these an exhausting-pump isto be tted exactly similar to the one already described as placed in thechimney V, and used in the same manner to form a suction-draft from theretorts H through the openings between the ends of each two hearths, andthrough the lengthened arches G to the chimney V. The operation andeffect of this arrangement consequent on the mode of constructing theretorts and using the heat is that when the retorts are heated to awhite heat, the metallic zincwhen put in is soon brought to avolatilizing or white heat in the retorts and steam or hot air, or both,let in by the cocks 17 01' 21 22. The metal unites with these in theform of a vapory oxide, and descending through the open ings betweeneach heart-h by the suction-draft in the chimney WV, the vapor iscondensed in the chambers formed by the arches G, the floccules areretained by the screens 37, and shaken down into the chamber 36 in astate of white oxide iit for use as a paint. In this mode ofconstructing and using the retorts, ues, and arches, any portion of theoxides that may condense upon and adhere to their surfaces may beremoved in any convenient manner.

The principal objection to the use of hydrogen gas for any purpose, whenevolved from metallic zinc by sulphuric acid and water, is believed tobe that in this or any similar known process the cost of the gas isenhanced by the fact that the sulphate of zinc, which is the result ofthis process, has not hitherto been converted to any profitable use.This mode of producing hydrogen gas is well known, and forms no part ofthe invention hereinafter claimed; but the inode of making profit fromthe sulphate of Zinc, which is the result of the process, is next to bestated as connected with the apparatus herein described and shown.Metallic zinc in any usual proportions is to be placed in dilutesulphuric acid, and the hydrogen gas evolved by this'operation is to beapplied to any useful purpose in any usual manner. For this part of theprocess any one or more of the arches G that are not otherwise used, isto have a competent tight tank tted into it, to contain the dilutesulphurc acid and zinc, with a pipe to conduct the hydrogen gas into oneof the retorts for'carbonization, as is hereinafter described, or may beconducted away in any other direction for any other purpose. Thesulphate of zinc, which is the result of this process, is to be placedin the evaporating-pans L and heated by the heat passing under the pansin the nue or iiues 18, and chloride of lime is to be introduced tooxidize any iron that may be present. The liquid is then to be decantedinto other similar vessels and allowed to settle and precipitate theoxide of iron or othersforeign substances, after which the liquid is tobe decanted into a third set of vessels and treated with ammonia orother alkaline substances. These combine with the sulphuric acid andliberate the zinc, which falls to the bottom of the vessel in the formof an oxide. The sulphate is then to be deeanted off as much aspossible. These decantings may be effected by Siphon-pipes and cocks, orby any usual means. The zine which has fallen to the bottoni of thethird set of vessels as an 'oxide or hydrate, is to be taken out andplaced in strong sacking bags and pressed by a hydraulic press, or anycompetent press, to drive out as much as possible of the sulphate thatmay remain in the mass, which is then to be placed in clean water, intowhich steam is to be introduced, and the mass stirred and agitated inseveral washings, that the water may carry off as much as it will absorbof any remaining sulphate. Vhen sufficiently washed,

as much of the water'used as possible is to be lues 14 must -be closed,and the vapors expelled by the heat must be allowed to escape by notentirely closing the door of the retort, or by a regulated aperture inthe door. Vhen nearly or quiteat white heat, the aqueous and foreignvapors will be expelled and the masses be in the condition of a whiteoxide of zinc, which is to be taken out and allowed to cool, and will bein a fit state for use as a paint or pigment in any usual manner.

In this process any ores of zinc, wastages containing zinc, or anydresses of zinc may be used; and after producing the hydrogen gas thesulphate `may be converted into white oxide, and the several mixtures ofmaterials used in the process may be reserved and treated so as to avoidwaste of the ammonia (if ammonia is used) by evaporation, as usual, andusing it over again and by appropriating one portion of the retorts tothe first process of oxidizing the metal, and a second portion toburning the hydrate or oxide, a third portion of the retorts may beappropriated to receive the hydrogen gas evolved in the second process,and carbonize it by combination with any proper material in the retort,whence the gas may be allowed to pass either up or down by the flues 14,and conveyed to a gasometer, in the usual way, for use in illumination.

rllhe next use to which these retorts H H are to be applied is thecalcination of sulphureted ores of metals, and when so employed the oresunder treatment are subjected to any required degree of heat in thepresence of a regulated supply of steam and hot air, by the cocks 21,22, or 17, the sulphurous gases evolvedy in the process going off by thefines 14 and barrelarch l to the chambers S, as before described. Ifthese retorts are applied to preparing sulphureted ores of copper forconversion into the metallic state, the ores are irst to be calcined inone or more of the retorts with the door closed, and steam or hot air,or both, are to be passed in by the cocks, as described, the sulphurousgas going off by the lues 14 and arch 4 to be used in any ot' the modesherein described. Vhen sufficiently calcined, the

ores are to be taken to the reverberatory furnace E and reduced asusual, and then taken to the retorts and subjected to the sainetreatment as before, after which they are to be taken through thereverberatory or smelting furnace and through the refinery working inthe usual manner, the main points of the application and arrangement ofthe retorts and furnaces being, first, that by the retorts H H thesulphurous gases evolved are made useful in the manner described; and,second, that the first or calcining operations are effected by what isordinarily the wasted heat from the rst and second furnaces actingthrough the retorts on the ores under treatment, so that the operationsof ealcining, snielting, and refining can all be in progress by the samefires. The mode of effecting all these processes by the furnacefires isshown in the detached Fig. 8, where a:

is the refining-furnace acting with the reverberatory furnace E,the`conj oined surplus heat going off to heat the retorts by the iiuesc.

In forming oxides of lead for any use, the metal is to be oxidized ineither of the first furnaces, X or E, by the fires and by hot air andsteam from the pipes o and k, after which the oxides so formed are to beburned in the retorts, then ground and floated in the usual manner, thenreturned to the retorts to be formed into litharge or red lead by themore brief or more lengthened operation of the heat and heated air whenred lead is to be formed. These processes are to be conducted as in theordinary manner, the same advantages being derived from the constructionof the retorts and the useof the waste heat from the rst furnaces, as isshown in the other operations herein described. It will be understoodthat in thus working lead the ilues 14 will not be needed. The otheruses to which the appara-4 tus may be applied are as follows:

The sulphurous gases evolved in any of the former processes, or thegases evolved in the sublimation of sulphur in the retorts, may be takenby the fines 14 and barrel-arch 4 to condensing-chambers, by connectionsof any 'proper kind, and condensed to form the sulphur of commerce, orthe gases may be converted into sulphurie acid by the usual knownmea-ns, and the acid may be used for converting theores or metal of Zincinto sulphate of zinc, by placing either of them in the same r chamberwhere the acid is formed, the hydrogen gas evolved beingused asdescribed.

The retorts may be used for producing gas for illumination from coals orother fit materials, and when so employed a portion of the retorts maybe used to vaporize the ammoniacal residunin of the process, by heatingthe mass and conveying away the vapor for con densation to form theliquid ammonia of commerce, by any convenient or usual means. Oxidousores of metal may be deoxidized in these retorts preparatory'to thesubsequent processes, for conversion into metallic forms by either orboth of the first furnaces.

Vegetable materials of any kind may be subjected to destructivedistillation in these retorts, and the gaseous products be taken off foruse upward by the flues 14, or downward by these and the arch 4. Thematter left in the retorts, being converted into charcoal and bones orpeat, may be reduced to bone-black or charcoal. The ammoniacal vaporfrom either of these may be taken off by any convenient means forcondensation into liquid ammonia.

The detached Figs. 9 and 10 are a lengthwise and cross section of anarrangement by which retorts of this character may be applied to theconversion of copper and zinc into brass, with the advantages of savingthe vapor of the zinc which sublimes in the mixing, and condensing itinto white oxide, and of using the secondary or now wasted heat of thefire to anneal the brass in the several stages of roll- I ing or workingit. In these iigures, 3S is the furnace, set on one side of an arch, 39,which supports a melting-retort, 40, having no flue under the hearth,but iiues 12 in the crown of the retort 40, which open into the flue 10under the hearth of the lower one of two annealing-retorts, 41. The heatpasses into a chamber, 42, which directs the heat into the ilues 12above the crown of the lower and under the hearth of the upper retort,into a chamber, 43, whence the heat passes by the upper iiues, 13, overthe crown of the upper retort, into the chimney 44.

At 45 is the feeding-door in i'ront of the retort 40, and 46 is a damperor sliding door, as usual .v

47 is the top hole and plug to let out melted metal.

48 is an opening at thebaek end of the retort 40, with a damper orsliding door, 49, to regulate the eXit ofthe gaseous vapor from the zincinto a descending fiue, 50,with a door, 51. rPhe Hue 50 opens intothe'areh 39, which is to be iitted with a door, 52, at each end, ofcloth or gauze to retain the iioccules of the gaseous vapor from thezin'c. By this arrangement the copper to form brass is melted in theretort 40, and the zine added, as usual, with the slide 49 open. Thevapor of the zinc goes off by the opening' 4S, and is condensed in thearch 39 into a white oxide that may be taken out for use, The retorts41, heated by the surplus heat, will anneal the brass when made topermit successive rollings inthe manu facture, as usual, and thisarrangement is equally available for refining copper and annealing it inthe process of rolling; or iron melted in the furnaces and castinto formmay be annealed in the same way.

Metals, glass, or other materials may be annealed and other substancesheated or baked in these retorts.

lf any one retort becomes damaged in use, it can be removed and anotherput in by merely removing the wall and door in front instead ofdisturbing the whole nest or pile, and if it is intended to use thearrangement to produce gas for illumination, the retorts H andflue-piers K may be made of iron and arranged in the same manner, so asto be equally effective; and in somecases it may be useful to put in thelower nue-pier, K, only, andallow two ilues to open at the bottom of thetop tier, so that the operations going on in the top retorts may be seenall through by merely opening both doors of the two top retorts. In thiscase a eross-lip, 53, may be placed at the inner end of each top retort,as shown in Fig. 7, to rise a little above the hearth, and prevent anysubstance falling into the descending iiues 14.

If the retorts are applied to subliming sulphnr or any similaroperation, the lower fluepier, K, may be left out, and the upper keptin, as by thus reversing these positions the gases evolved may be takenupward from each four retorts by the ilues 14, into any proper reservoiror chalnber for ulterior operations, or if the sulphurous gases aretaken downward, the barrel-arch 4: may be tapped laterally by pipes tolead the gas into any proper vessel in the arches Gr for the productionof sulph-uric acid by the usual means.

Having described the construction, operation, uses, and effects of myinventiomand arrangements by which it will be seen that what isordinarily wasted heat from any principal furnace or furnaces is bythese arrangements made eifectively available for a great variety ofpurposes, and that these ends are attained not by so applying such wasteheat-in any ordinary manner, but by using the herein-described new formand arrangement oi" retorts and flues, iirst, to use the heat, andseeond, to carry off and make useful a variety of gaseous products thatare now deemed useless and noxious, and preventing these from coining incontact with the iire; and having stated various uses to which theseimprovements are applicable, so far as I now know of such uses, I do notmean to confine or limit myself to the described uses or to the numberof retorts shown in the drawings, but to apply these improvements to anyand all purposes, in any number and in any manner in which they may befound available, by varying the mechanical details to suitl particularpurposes.

I am aware that I have herein described many and various uses to whichthese retorts are applicable, but these uses are merely detailed hereinto illustrate the advantages and conveniences of my retorts, and toenable others to arrange the additional parts necessary in their variousapplications.

It will be seen that these retorts may be heated by any proper fire,whether it is the waste heat of a furnace or a separate re.

The main features ofA my invention are, the

forming retorts in one or more pieces, so that `they set togetherwithout needing masonrywork to form the flues, and each retort issupported and kept from warping or getting out of shape by its squareform, making of any number, as it were, one solid piece, with all thenecessary flues, and at the same time, if a retort wears out, all thatis necessary is to put in a new one, which occupies the place of the oldone, andforms its own ilues without needing separate parts ormasonry-work, which at all times is expensive, and cannot always bebuilt in particular situations, is liable to get out of repair andrequires much more space and greater thickness of the parts, whereas myretorts are comparatively light, compact, easily repaired, and withalvery tight, and elfective in use, and possess advantages consequent upontheir peculiar construction, which I am not aware have ever before beenobtained by any other form of retort.

I disclaim all processes to which these retorts are applicable, and allchemical compounds and mode of working the same, which are hereindescribed, and I disclaim all the apparatus shown herein except asfollows:

Vhat I desire to secure by `Letters Patent isi The retorts H, formed bythe arch 7 and bed 6, with the sides 5 5, and perforated with thecross-dues 10, 12, or 13, below the bed and above the arch of eachretort, said retorts being formed and operating as herein set forth, andbeing used for any purpose for which they may be available.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 4th day ofMarch, 1851.

JOHN AKRILL.

NTitnesses:

IVM. SnRRnLL, LEMUEL NV. SERRELL.

